Little Bit of Trouble
by Awen-Meara
Summary: "Ooh!" Stark said as if noticing for the first time "Your ears are out, are you angry, you only let your ears out if you're angry." Again Ana sighed "No Sir I am not angry only a little annoyed, you know how New York gets during an alien invasion, the traffic getting here was horrific. I assume that you had something to do with all of this Mr. Stark?" Stark winced
1. Chapter 1

It was lunch hour Ana was just coming out of her favorite café with her usual takeaway fare of a sixteen ounce green jasmine tea and a turkey sandwich on rye with a raspberry jam pastry when it started. A blue stream of light erupted from the top of her work place, Stark tower, the blue stream of light tore open a hole in the sky and creatures began flying out of it and shooting people. Ana sighed wondering where her boss could be at this moment and set down her lunch, took off her high heeled shoes, and tied her hair back revealing a set of pointy ears. Her work attire of a gray A-line skirt and white blouse with a matching vest was not appropriate for what she was about to do but Ana supposed that she would have to make due. With an air of practiced calm she began directing panicky people to stay inside as she made her way towards the epicenter of the madness. It was going to be a long day.

Ana fought. The opponents she faced were taller than the average human, spoke in clicks and had strange gray wrinkled skin. Their weapons were advanced and the creatures were fast and strong, and Ana had no weapon of her own but a knife small enough to hide under her skirt, but still Ana fought. She was smaller than they were but she was also faster and more flexible, she moved through battle smoothly going quickly from one opponent to the other. She gained injuries, bruises along her ribs, a cut over her left eye, a long scrape along her right leg as well as a sprained right ankle but she ignored it, pushed past it and continued to make her way to Stark tower. It barely registered when her boss went zooming over head with a missile and she didn't even she him fall but she knew when they had won because the creature she had been clinging to and poised to kill dropped of its own accord and sent her tumbling down underneath of it. By the time she had wriggled out from under it and gotten to the top of Stark tower she was exhausted. She also found her boss trying to slowly extract himself from his armor, and one nearly naked man with 5 other people in costumes all waiting in the lounge. Ana blinked and stared for a moment before announcing her presence to her boss,

"Mr. Stark?" Anthony Stark billionaire-genius-playboy-philanthropist hopped up out of his chair one leg still in armor and walked over to her

"Pixie! How are you doing? Alright? Have you been fighting? Naughty little pixie, of course you have been you and your mutant powers." At this Ana sighed and rolled her eyes "Ooh!" Stark said as if noticing for the first time "Your ears are out, are you angry, you only let your ears out if you're angry."

Again Ana sighed "No Sir I am not angry only a little annoyed, you know how New York gets during an alien invasion, the traffic getting here was horrific. I assume that you had something to do with all of this Mr. Stark?"

Stark winced "Oh you're pissed. Well I'll have you know that it wasn't all me this time, they all had something to do with it and technically its really all his fault" he said pointing to the man in green and gold armor "_Prince_ Loki over there is the one that called those grey guys here." Ana only sent him a mildly half amused half annoyed look and stepped passed him out stretching her hand to the man in red white and blue,

"Captain" she greeted him "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Pixie, aka Ana Mathews Ms. Potts and Mr. Stark's assistant. Please let me know if there is anything I can get you."

Steve shook her hand and nodded to her respectfully "Mam" he said "Are you alright?" he was eying the visible injuries on the small dark haired pale woman before him. She shook her head and smiled at him

"I'm just fine thank you, like I said I ran into a bit of traffic on my way over here" she greeted the rest of the Avengers and Loki with the same quiet politeness. When she reached Natasha she smiled and gave her a wink after shooting a look at the pouting Stark Natasha laughed

"You always were my favorite intern" and gave Ana her real name. She reached Bruce Banner last, not batting an eye at his state of undresses and after names were exchanged gave him a small shy smile and said

"I think clothes are in order Dr. Banner, some of Mr. Stark's things should fit you. If you would like to follow me?" She began to lead the way to a small hallway and stopped in front of her boss

"I assume that S.H.I.E.L.D will be here soon sir?" Tony looked up

"Yeah probably"

"Alright then. JARVIS, would you please let me know when Phil gets here…" Ana stopped noticing the stricken look Stark gave her.

"Ana Phil isn't coming."

Ana blinked once in sudden understanding, "Oh." She said simply before it seemed all the life drained out of her momentarily, she lost her posture and seemed for a moment as if she were about to collapse. Stark reached a hand out to steady her but as soon as her touched her she jerked back and came to life again. "I see" she said shakily "JARVIS belay that last let me know as soon as any SHIELD agents get here, inform me if Director Fury is with them and restrict their access until I am there to escort them please. Thank you."

With that she limpingly lead the way out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Dr. Bruce Banner watched the young woman leading the way concernedly she seemed to be having trouble staying upright her right ankle was swollen and looked sprained, he was positive that her ribs on left side were fractured or at the very least bruised, and her eyes were unfocused. She still moved remarkably briskly down the corridor. Suddenly she stopped.

"Mr. Stark has a suite here in case he gets wrapped up in work and needs a place to sleep. It has a bath, the closet is on the left, please feel free to wash up and take whatever clothes and shoes that fit you and are the most comfortable." Ana sagged against the wall for a moment and Bruce asked,

"Are you sure that you are alright Ms. Mathews?" Ana flashed him a small tired smile,

"Thank you Dr. Banner but I am fine"

"All the same Ms. Mathews" Banner said in light amusement "I think I had better take a look at you ankle and your ribs." Ana sighed and nodded her head in defeat

"As you wish, but take your time and freshen up, it's nothing pressing. Will that be all Dr. Banner?"

"Try to rest Ms. Mathews." Banner said as he closed the door.

Ana intended to do no such thing, resting meant that she would have to proses and she didn't want to do that, not here, not in front of her boss. So instead she limped down to the kitchen and grabbed seven water bottles awkwardly in her arms and limped back down the corridor. As she handed the water out to everyone she noticed her boss staring at her and knew that he wouldn't be happy until he opened his big mouth and told her what was going on in that head of his.

"Hey Pixie," Ana let out a little sigh

"Yes Mr. Stark?"

"Maybe you should take a rest you don't look tha…" stark was cut off by a water bottle being shoved into his face.

"As much as I am touched by your concern Mr. Stark it is not needed or desired. I am fine." She hesitated "If you will though," she took deep breath "Phil, I mean Agent Coulson… is he… dead or" her voice trembled and nearly cracked "or is he just unable to do his job at the moment?"

Stark hesitated and looked away not speaking. Capitan America then spoke up

"He died in the line of duty mam, fighting Loki." Here he paused and looked at the young woman before him "Were you close?" Ana turned towards him and gave a shaky smile when Loki opened his mouth

"Yes a friend or perhaps a lover" he spit the words out and watched the girl pale "Oh yes his young lover then you should know he did not die quickly." Ana went paler still at his words but ignored him turning back to the Capitan

"He died fighting?" she asked in a small voice

"Yes mam he did" he affirmed her firmly

Ana turned back to Loki "Thank you" she told him "He was always afraid that he would live to become useless. He had always wanted to die fighting for something. I am assuming that you killed him, so thank you. That being said…" she stalked over to him all the Avengers too shocked at her words to stop her

"This" she said slapping him hard across the face "is for taking the only real family I have ever known away from me." She limped back over to Tony and addressed them all like nothing had happened "Is there anything I can get you all… food perhaps?"

"No" Tony answered "We were going to go get Shwarma. What do you mean by family?"

"From the shop about ten blocks down?" Ana asked completely ignoring his question "I will make sure that they are still open and let them know about your arrival."

Tony put himself right in front of her "What did you mean, family"

"Ms. Pixie, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Director Fury have arrived and are requesting to use the elevator should I let them up?" JARVIS broke in,

"If it is not Mr. Stark's personal elevator then yes please JARVIS, and thank you. Now if you will excuse me for a moment Mr. Stark I must go greet your guests." She turned and limped back down the hall way. When the elevator doors opened Nick Fury gave her a nod his eye kind,

"Ms. Mathews, I expect that you are aware of the news concerning your uncle?" they heard Stark in the background

"SHE IS HIS NEICE?!" Ana winced and turned around, "Yes Mr. Stark S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phillip Coulson was my uncle. No I do not work for S.H.I.E.L.D. nor do I have any intention of ever doing so." She saw Banner from behind Stark and cut Tony off before he could say anything "Now forgive me Mr. Stark but I think that Dr. Banner wished to take a quick look at me, and I have some phone calls to make." With a nod to Fury and her boss she latched on to the confused Dr. Banner and led him to a modest office. The room was furnished very simply with none of Ironman's usual flare, a simple oak wood desk and comfortable looking chair hid a small cot made up with a pillow and an old lavender quilt.

"I'm sorry for your loss Ms. Mathews, I didn't know your uncle well but he seemed very kind." Bruce was startled by the girl as she waved her hand and in a very brusque manner said,

"Yes thank you Dr. Banner but I would like to get this examination over with I have quite a bit of work to do and very little time to do it." Banner just stared at her for a moment, "Dr. Banner, please" her voice turned soft at the please and her lips trembled as she wrung her hands, Bruce recognized the signs of someone on the edge of a break and trying desperately to not let it show.

"Alright Ms. Mathews, please sit on the desk and remove your vest," he paused and considered the state he thought her ribs were in "if you can of course" the pointy eared woman nodded and told him in a quiet voice,

"No need for the 'Ms.' Dr. Banner you can just call me Pixie"

"Then please call me Bruce" his smile turned in to a small look of concern when she winced at the light pressure he put on her ribs. "Your ribs are definitely fractured. You will need to be careful of how much you move about within the next few weeks." He kneeled to look at her ankle "Just sprained" he pronounced after a groaning sigh upon getting up again. He then examined her wrist, "Just out of curiosity, you were fighting the chutari?"

"Yes" she answered simply and raised an eyebrow when Bruce looked at her incredulously, "I'm not exactly normal, Doctor as you can see" she gestured vaguely to her ears "My mutation allows me to do things that a normal human could not"

"Such as fight with large gray-skinned aliens?" Banner quipped and she smiled

"Yes, things like that."

"And where did you learn to do things like that?"

"At school" she replied simply, grinning when Bruce gave her a disbelieving look "It was a special school"

"I see" Bruce paused for a moment, hesitating, but then continued "What exactly does your mutation allow you to do?"

"I have heightened senses, that's why my ears are shaped a little differently, as well as heightened agility and flexibility. I have outstanding stamina and my recovery time is much shorter than average, and I heal at an accelerated rate. Basically I am human improved."


End file.
